Strengthen Your Organization
With Help from Skilled Volunteers
Connect With Skilled Volunteers
This program connects you with talented professionals looking to give back, allowing you to access expertise in areas such as marketing, web development, operations, strategy, and more.
Catchafire's menu of 100+ pre-scoped projects, each with specific deliverables and project steps, makes it easy to find what you need and match with a volunteer with the right skills for the job. And if you aren't sure where to begin, start by talking to a volunteer to get advice and explore ideas.
Sponsored by Connecticut Community Foundation
Shannon from First Congregational Church of New Milford, UCC listed a Print Materials Design project.
Random Hacks of Kindness Junior, Inc. received an application from Arpit for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT received an application from Gigi for a Social Media consultation call.
Random Hacks of Kindness Junior, Inc. received an application from Anshika for a Tech Systems consultation call.
Patrice from Random Hacks of Kindness Junior, Inc. listed a Tech Systems consultation call.
Jamie from NEW MILFORD VNA & HOSPICE listed an Online Survey project.
Patrice from Random Hacks of Kindness Junior, Inc. listed a Print Materials Design project.
Children's Community School received an application from Cory for a Website consultation call.
Children's Community School received an application from Alexandre for a Website consultation call.
Jacqueline from Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT listed a Social Media consultation call.
Alex matched with Lynn from Children's Community School for a Website consultation call!
Naugatuck Youth Services, Inc. received an application from Greg for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Kristin from Naugatuck Youth Services, Inc. listed an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Naugatuck Youth Services, Inc. received an application from Larry for an Organizational Strategy consultation call.
Lynn from Children's Community School listed a Website consultation call.
Wellmore Behavioral Health received an application from Ashley for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Whitney matched with Doug from Cheshire Community YMCA for a Brochure Graphic Design project!
Woodbury Senior Community Center received an application from Francheska for a Logo Design project.
Wellmore Behavioral Health received an application from Jini for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Jon matched with Peter from White Memorial Conservation Center for a Google AdWords Set Up project!
Shawn matched with Peter from White Memorial Conservation Center for a Tech Systems consultation call!
Catherine matched with Eileen from KidsPlay Children's Museum for a Website consultation call!
Meghan matched with Patrice from Random Hacks of Kindness Junior, Inc. for a Marketing Materials consultation call!
Wellmore Behavioral Health received an application from Ryan for a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Jackie from Wellmore Behavioral Health listed a Brochure Graphic Design project.
Francheska matched with Lori from Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary for an Instagram Set Up & Strategy project!
Woodbury Senior Community Center received an application from Nathan for a Logo Design project.
Loryn from Woodbury Senior Community Center listed a Logo Design project.
Woodbury Senior Community Center received an application from Jennifer for a Logo Design project.
Sharon matched with Katherine from Literacy Volunteers on The Green for a Website Construction (CMS-Based) project!
Jaime matched with Lori from Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary for a Website Visual Design project!
Aman matched with Patrice from Random Hacks of Kindness Junior, Inc. for an Email Layout & Template (Series) project!
Linda from Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness listed an Impact Report Graphic Design project.
Jennifer matched with Ryan from Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness for a Custom Digital Images project!
Jan matched with Lori from Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary for an Excel-Based Accounting System project!
Jodi matched with Ahmad from Life in My Days, Inc for an Online Research project!
Matthew matched with Ahmad from Life in My Days, Inc for a Mission, Vision & Values project!
Charmaine matched with Ahmad from Life in My Days, Inc for an Illustration project!
Randy matched with Lori from Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary for an Illustration project!
Maria matched with Lori from Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary for a Thank You Letter project!
Alpa matched with Ahmad from Life in My Days, Inc for an Accounting Systems Set Up project!
Amanda matched with Kristie from Easterseals of Greater Waterbury for a Copyediting project!
ROBIN matched with Judith from Litchfield Health & Wellness Resources for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project!
Ariella matched with Katherine from Literacy Volunteers on The Green for a Website Visual Design project!
twinkle matched with Yoellie from Madre Latina Inc for a Social Media consultation call!
Denise matched with Katherine from Literacy Volunteers on The Green for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project!
Abbie matched with Matt from Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust for a Brochure Graphic Design project!
Antony matched with Yoellie from Madre Latina Inc for a Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity project!
Kiran matched with Chaucey from Yoga4Change for a Revenue Generation Plan project!
Tanvir matched with Katherine from Literacy Volunteers on The Green for a Website consultation call!
How It Works
1. Explore Available Projects
Browse through over 120 pre-scoped projects and post your own.2. Find Your Pro Bono Professional
Review applications from interested professionals and choose who you want to work with.3. Get The Help You Need
Kick off your project and start making progress.Two ways to connect!
Consultation Calls
Projects
What Do You Need Help With?
Select from 120+ pre-scoped projects or post a consultation call to get started.
Great Connections Are Made Here
Website Call
How Alex M. helped Children's Community School
Website Visual Update
How Mary H. helped Annie C Courtney Foundation, Inc
Brochure Graphic Design
How Whitney F. helped Cheshire Community YMCA
Google AdWords Set Up
How Jon K. helped White Memorial Conservation Center
Instagram Set Up & Strategy
How Francheska C. helped Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary
Website Construction (CMS-Based)
How Sharon R. helped Literacy Volunteers on The Green
Online Research
How Jodi S. helped Life in My Days, Inc
Copyediting
How Amanda W. helped Easterseals of Greater Waterbury
Logo Design & Visual Brand Identity
How Antony D. helped Madre Latina Inc
ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS
Work With Talented Professionals From Around the World
Finding the right match is important. Each of the 100+ pre-scoped projects contains prerequisite skills and experience, core deliverables, and time estimates, so volunteers know exactly what is required when they apply to work with you.
The rigorous application process, which includes work experience, portfolios, and statements of interest, limits applicants to those who are serious about working with you. It's not a one-click application, and it shouldn't be.
You can review up to three applications at a time, and interview candidates before deciding. The decision is yours.
What Other Organizations are Saying
Frequently Asked Questions
New around here? Start with the basics.
Catchafire is an online platform for virtual, skills-based volunteering. Through Catchafire, professionals are able to directly support causes they care about by helping nonprofits with projects that match their skill sets. And because projects can be completed from anywhere, Catchafire makes it possible for nonprofits and skilled volunteers to connect for good, from all around the world!
Skills-based volunteering is a high impact form of volunteering that allows an individual to donate his or her professional skills and expertise, which in turn allows a nonprofit to build its capacity and focus more efficiently on its mission.
Skilled volunteers help nonprofits fill critical knowledge and staffing gaps, they work as thought partners on strategic projects, and they complete specific projects that require specialized skills, training, or experience. Very often, the relationships between volunteers and nonprofits extend far beyond the scope of the initial project that brought them together.
A specific example of skills-based volunteering is a marketing professional who volunteers to help a nonprofit create a marketing strategy.
During 2018, the Foundation is partnering with Catchafire to support select nonprofit organizations who serve the Foundation’s 21-town region by providing access to skills-based volunteers from across the world. By bringing talent to its grantees, the Foundation aims to maximize the impact these organizations are able to make in the communities they serve.
No. Connecticut Community Foundation is sponsoring your access to Catchafire, so it’s completely free for your organization. The Foundation believes that by providing this resource to its grantees, organizations can maximize their positive impact in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.
In order to participate, you must first register your organization and then post your first project or consultation call. Get started by visiting the Project Menu to browse through over 120 detailed project types.
You can work on an unlimited number of projects throughout your membership, but can only post up to five projects at a time. Once you finish a project, mark it “complete” and you can post a new project. Note: you can post as many Ask An Expert phone calls as you’d like.
Your posted projects are visible to Catchafire’s entire skills-based volunteer community of 40,000+ talented professionals on the platform, and millions more via Catchafire's partnership with LinkedIn. Those who are interested in your organization’s cause area and who have the skills required for your project will be able to apply.
Skills-based volunteers may apply to your projects from all across the country and around the world. We encourage you to engage with virtual skills-based volunteers. If you prefer to work with somebody local, please expect it to take longer than normal to receive applications from a professional in the area. Please reach out to help@catchafire.org if you have questions or need any help.
On average, projects are matched within two weeks. If you are not seeing the response you hoped for, please reach out to help@catchafire.org, and one of Catchafire's Nonprofit Advisors will get in touch to troubleshoot with you.
After the interview, you can log into your account dashboard and ACCEPT or PASS on the match. Once both parties accept, you are officially matched and can begin the project! If you need to exchange any materials or have follow-up conversations to determine if it is a good fit after the interview, you are encouraged to do so.
Absolutely! Schedule a call, or email your questions to help@catchafire.org and one of Catchafire’s Nonprofit Advisors will be in touch within 24 business hours.
About This Program
Established in 1923, Connecticut Community Foundation was created by and for the people of Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.
While serving this 21-town region, the Foundation provides leadership in addressing the community’s critical issues, strengthens local nonprofit organizations through grants and technical assistance programs, and works with individuals, families and corporations to steward charitable and scholarship funds. Read more about the Foundation on our main website.
This year, the Foundation is partnering with Catchafire to support select organizations by providing access to skills-based volunteers with specific expertise and experience across the world. By bringing talent to its grantees, the Foundation aims to help organizations maximize their positive impact in the communities they serve in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.
Have more questions? Drop us a line.
Email the Catchafire team at help@catchafire.org, or schedule a Catchafire introduction call to learn more about how your organization can build capacity with help from skilled volunteers.
Connecticut Community Foundation is very pleased to have provided the funding necessary to allow your organization to use the Catchafire platform free of charge. We hope you will tap the potential of the Catchafire platform to secure volunteer help to meet some of your pressing needs. As you consider engaging volunteers through Catchafire, please understand that Connecticut Community Foundation does not endorse, vet or recommend the services of any particular volunteer or service provider, and is not liable for any harm or injuries that may be caused by volunteers who participate in the Catchafire platform. We encourage you to vet carefully any Catchafire volunteer before entering a working relationship.
